A thermal protection system (TPS) may be used to protect vehicles from high temperatures. Primary TPS locations include hot outer skins or propulsion path and exhaust-washed structures. The current operational state of the art remains primarily those technologies established in the space shuttle program. The shuttle-related TPS technologies are often not robust enough for use with military vehicles and missions. Future high-speed military vehicles need affordable and robust, yet still effective TPS. It is also noted that TPS technologies may be used to protect a vehicle from low ambient temperatures.